Pole sign



Nov. 16, 1965 J. A. COBB 3,217,437

POLE S IGN Original Filed March 22. 1961 INVENTOR. Jess A. Case United States Patent 3,217,437 POLE SIGN Jess A. Cobb, East Chester, N.Y., assignor to Chicago Show Printing Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Continuation of application Ser. No. 97,503, Mar. 22, 1961. This application May 18, 1964, Ser. No.

4 Claims. (Cl. 40-125) This invention relates to signs and pertains particularly to a sign of a new and improved construction, adapted to be mounted on a lamp pole or the like.

This application is a continuation of the applicants co-pending application, Serial No. 97,503, filed March 22, 1961, now abandoned.

One object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved sign which may be mounted in a secure manner on a pole, with a minimum of supporting structure.

A further object is to provide a new and improved sign of the foregoing character which may be mounted on a pole very quickly and readily by one man.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will appear from the following description, taken with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the first stage in the erection of a pole sign to be described as an illustrative embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the second stage in the erection of the sign.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a detail of the sign construction.

It will be seen that FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a sign adapted to be mounted on a pole 12. The sign will find many applications, but is particularly advantageous for use as a temporary or short term sign at automobile servvice stations or the like. The sign 10 is adapted to be installed on an existing pole which has previously been erected to support lamps, a permanent sign, or the like.

The sign 10 may be mounted on poles of various types, but is especially well adapted for mounting on poles of the illustrated type which taper upwardly in cross section. It will be seen that the illustrated pole is substantially square in cross section, but the sign may be mounted on poles of any suitable cross sectional shape.

As shown, the sign 10 comprises a pair of placards 14 and 16 which may be made of cardboard or any other suitable sheet material. Initially, the placard 14 is folded accordion fashion into three panels 14a, 14b and 14c. Similarly, the placard 16 is folded into three panels 16a, 16b and 160. The panels 14 and 16 are folded along horizontal fold lines 14d, 14e, 16d and 16a.

The upper edges of the placards 14 and 16 are secured to wood boards or other similar resilient supporting members 18 and 20. In the first stage of the erection of the sign 10, the boards 18 and 20 are pressed against opposite sides of the pole 12 by means of a pair of springs 22 or other resilient members. As shown, the springs 22 are of the coiled extension type and are stretched between eye bolts 24 extending through the boards 18 and 20. The springs 22 are on opposite sides of the pole 12 so as to retain the boards 18 and 20 on the pole. The force of the springs 22 clamps the boards 18 and 20 against opposite sides of the pole 12.

It is preferred, as the next step in the erection of the sign 10, to bring the ends of the boards 18 and 20 together. This may be done in various ways, but it is convenient and easy simply to string wires 26 through holes 28 in the ends of the boards 18 and 20. The ends of the wires 26 may then be twisted together, as shown at 30,

3,217,437 Patented Nov. 16, 1965 ice so as to draw the ends of the boards 18 and 20 together. This flexes the boards into a bow shape, as clearly shown in FIG. 2. The flexure of the boards 18 and 20 provides additional compressive force which clamps the boards against the opposite sides of the pole 12.

Next, the sign 10 is lifted up the pole 12, and the placards 14 and 16 are allowed to unfold. The edges of the placards 14 and 16 are preferably clipped together by means of strips 32. Each of the strips 32 may be riveted or otherwise secured to the placard 14 and may be threaded through a corresponding slot 34 in the placard 16. The strips 32 may then be bent across the edges of the placards 14 and 16 and behind the placard 14, as clearly shown in FIG. 3.

The joining of the edges of the placards 14 and 16 rigidities the placards to such an extent that the placards may be shoved up the pole 12 to the desired final elevation. This operation is clearly shown in FIG. 2. Finally, the lower edges of the placards 14 and 16 may be secured to the pole 12. This may be done by stringing a wire 36 around the pole 12 and through openings 38 in the placards 14 and 16 adjacent the lower edges thereof. The openings 38 may be reinforced with grommets or the like. The wire 36 is pulled up tight and is secured in place by twisting the ends of the wire together.

Even though the pole 12 tapers upwardly, the boards 18 and 20 remain securely clamped to the'pole by the force of the springs 22, and the additional clamping force due to the fiexure of the boards 18 and 20. The resilient action of the springs 22 compensates for the upward taper of the pole 12. Thus, the sign 10 is securely retained at any desired elevation on the pole 12, without any adjustment.

It will be evident that the sign It) may easily be erected in a matter of a few minutes. One man can easily erect the sign without any assistance. Normally it is not necessary to use a ladder in the erection of the sign. The sign is securely maintained on the pole and is resistant to the force of the wind.

Various modifications, alternative constructions and equivalents may be employed without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention, as exemplified in the foregoing description and defined in the following claims:

I claim:

1. In a sign,

the combination comprising a supporting pole,

a pair of placards positioned on opposite sides of said pole,

said placards being made of thin stifI" material,

a pair of bendable resilient elongated reinforcing bars secured to the upper edges of said placards,

a pair of parallel elongated extensible coil springs stretched between the central portions of said bars for resiliently pressing said bars against the opposite sides of the pole,

said springs having a space therebetween,

said pole extending through said space,

means for drawing the ends of said resilient bars together to bend said bars around the pole,

said bars being bowed around the pole with the ends of said bars in engagement,

and means for joining the side edges of the placards,

the placards thereby being bowed around the pole,

said placards and said bars being slidable along the pole and thereby being adapted to be shoved up the pole by pushing on the lower ends of the placards while said springs maintain said bars in firm engagement with the pole.

2. In a sign,

the combination comprising a supporting pole,

a pair of placards positioned on opposite sides of said pole,

said placards being made of thin stiif material,

a pair of elongated reinforcing bars secured to the upper edges of said placards,

a pair of parallel elongated extensile coil springs stretched between the central portions of said bars for resiliently pressing said bars against the opposite sides of the pole,

saidsprings having a space therebetween,

said pole extending through said space,

and means for joining the side edges of the placards,

the placards thereby being bowed around the pole,

said placards and said bars being slidable along the pole and thereby being adapted to the shoved up the pole by pushing on the lower ends of the placards while said springs maintain said bars in engagement with the pole.

3. In a sign adapted to be mounted on a pole,

the combination comprising a pair of placards adapted to be positioned on opposite sides of the pole,

said placards being made oi thin stilf material,

a pair of bendable resilient elongated reinforcing bars secured to the upper edges of said placards,

a pair of parallel elongated extensible coil springs stretched between the central portions of said bars for resiliently pressing said bars against opposite sides of the pole in sliding engagement therewith,

said spring having a space therebetween for receiving the pole,

means for drawing the ends of said resilient bars together to bend said bars around the pole,

said bars being bowed around the pole in position of use with the ends of said bars in engagement,

and means for joining the side edges of the placards,

the placards thereby being bowed around the pole in position of use,

said placards being adapted to be shoved up the pole by pushing on the lower ends of the placards while said springs maintain said bars in firm sliding engagement with the pole.

4. In a sign adapted to be mounted on a pole,

the combination comprising a pair of placards adapted to be positioned on opposite sides of the pole,

said placards being made of thin stiff material,

a pair of elongated reinforcing bars secured to the upper edges of said placards,

a pair of parallel elongated extensible coil springs stretched between the central portions of said bars for resiliently pressing said bars against opposite sides of the pole in sliding engagement therewith,

said springs having a space therebetween for receiving the pole,

and means for joining the side edges of the placards,

the placards thereby being bowed around the pole in position of use,

said placards being. adapted to be shoved up the pole by pushing on the lower ends of the placards while said springs maintain said bars in firm sliding engagement with the pole.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 898,579 9/1908 Husted 145 1,672,171 6/1928 Reis 40125 1,890,483 12/1932 Wood 40145 1,9 8,343 12/1933 Marsh 40125 2,524,671 10/1950 Lampe 40125 X 2,840,942 7/1958 Ryan 40125 X 2,899,764 8/1959 Oberlin 40125 FOREIGN PATENTS 23,907 6/1903 Great Britain.

EUGENE R. CAPO ZIO, Primary Examiner.

JEROME SCHNALL, Examiner. 

4. IN A SIGN ADAPTED TO BE MOUNTED ON A POLE THE COMBINATION COMPRISING A PAIR OF PLACARDS ADAPTED TO BE POSITIONED ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE POLE, SAID PLACARDS BEING MADE OF THIN STIFF MATERIAL, A PAIR OF ELONGATED REINFORCING BARS SECURED TO THE UPPER EDGES OF SAID PLACARDS, A PAIR OF PARALLEL ELONGATED EXTENSIBLE COIL SPRINGS STRETCHED BETWEEN THE CENTRAL PORTIONS OF SAID BARS FOR RESILIENTLY PRESSING SAID BARS AGAINST OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE POLE IN SLIDING ENGAGEMENT THEREWITH, SAID SPRINGS HAVING A EDGE THEREBETWEEN FOR RECEIVING THE POLE, 